New exhibition by artist John Cumming set to open at Orkney Museum

John Cumming - 'The Swan Sketchbooks'

At The Orkney Museum, 5 April - 29 May 2021

Monday, 5 April, sees the opening of a new exhibition at the Orkney Museum, Tankerness House, Kirkwall.

'The Swan Sketchbooks' is a collection of new work by the popular artist, John Cumming. In the exhibition John returns to another great passion in his life, the sea. As he explains:

"The work for this show has been significantly influenced by circumstances during the past year. Denied the opportunity to travel and research subjects, I turned instead to the sketchbooks I have filled over the past decade. Sketches which might have become prints or carvings in other circumstances have instead been developed in charcoal, graphite, oil pastel or clay.

"Revisiting the sketchbooks has reawakened my deep love for the sea and for boats, and reengaged my concern at the loss of seabirds and those ecosystems which sustained them. The work bears references to a memorable week spent on the Minch aboard Song of the Whale as well as several trips aboard the Shetland Fifie Swan.

"Last winter my sea-watching was limited to daily walks at Wharbeth with my dog, but the birds we saw there and the constant break on the Kirk Rocks has been added to new sketchbooks and further developed on paper and in clay."

The Orkney Museum's Engagement and Exhibitions Officer, Tom Muir, is delighted that exhibitions are returning to the museum. He says: "We had planned an exhibition with John last October, but that was put on hold because of lockdown.

"Now that the museum's opening hours have been extended it feels like some form of normality is returning and we are happy to welcome folk back."

'The Swan Sketchbooks' by John Cumming is open from the 5 April - 29 May, unless new Covid-19 laws are introduced by the Scottish Government. The Orkney Museum will be open from Monday-Saturday, 10:00 - 12:00, 14:00 - 17:00. Admission is free, but restricted to 20 people at one time.